From 07bf150715517da8a1e837c96745d66e3f8e698e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Paul Vincent Bezzina <109743463+Vertrex-star@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2026 19:15:45 +0100 Subject: Create README.md --- README.md | 65 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 65 insertions(+) create mode 100644 README.md (limited to 'README.md') diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..559429e --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,65 @@ +# UCL Fleming Soc x KCL Tech: PCB Challenge + +## Overview + +This challenge invites participants to implement the given schematic as a fully wired PCB in the smallest possible size. As an added challenge the purpose of the PCB itself is left ambiguous. You are provided a schematic with all component values and connections intact, and a footprint associated with each schematic symbol. The event runs fully online, and all the necessary information can be found in this GitHub. + +I was inspired to create this challenge by a friend, Taylan Arslan, who gave me what was an essentially impossible challenge to get his PCB to fit within a 40mmx40mm constraint. Despite it being impossible, I learned a lot in those two days trying to accomplish this and the end result is a PCB that I am still very proud of. I hope that participants will also share the same feeling of satisfaction that I got, with the added bonus that this one is not impossible since the smallest possible size is to be determined by one of you. + +From my own experience, no matter how much you may like designing PCBs, ultimately it will become a bit repetitive. Thus to make this challenge more interesting; besides the monetary prize; I also decided to make the purpose of the PCB itself a puzzle to be solved. + +## The Challenge + +1. **Logic Deduction**: deduce the digital logic function implemented by the provided schematic, purely from the schematic itself (no functional description is given). Deducing this will give you bonus points. +2. **PCB Layout**: design a fully wired, single board PCB implementation of that logic, optimised for the smallest possible board area, within the design constraints below. + +## Design Constraints + +### Board & Layer Stack +- Four layer board (F.Cu / B.Cu + 2 inner layers), 1.6 mm standard FR4 thickness. +- Board outline may be any shape, but must be a single contiguous board (no panelisation or multi-board tricks to reduce measured area). +- Management of the 4 layer stack up (e.g. assignment of signal/power/ground to inner layers) is left entirely to the participant; there is no required or predefined ground/power/signal layer assignment. However, you will be penalised for a stack up that would not actually work. + +### Trace & Clearance Rules +- Minimum trace width: 0.15 mm (6 mil). +- Minimum clearance (trace to trace, trace to pad, trace to via): 0.15 mm (6 mil). +- Minimum copper to board edge clearance: 0.3 mm. +- These values should be set as the global minimum in KiCad's Clearance rules so DRC enforces them automatically. We will check the DRC ourselves when judging. + +### Via Rules +- Minimum via drill diameter: 0.3 mm. +- Minimum via annular ring: 0.15 mm (i.e. minimum via pad diameter of approximately 0.6 mm). +- Vias in pads are not permitted. + +### Footprint Rules +- Only default KiCad footprints, or footprints explicitly provided as part of the challenge, may be used. +- Footprints must not be modified from the library originals (this will be checked via KiCad's "footprint does not match library" DRC warning; note that editing a local copy of the library will not bypass this check, and manual review may also be used). +- All footprints must have correctly defined courtyard layers (F.CrtYd / B.CrtYd), and courtyards must not overlap between components. This is enforced via KiCad's built in "courtyard overlap" DRC check. +- Traces and vias may not be routed underneath IC footprints (i.e. within the courtyard area of any IC). + +### Silkscreen +- Boards do not need to retain fully legible silkscreen labelling. + +### DRC Pass Criteria +- All submitted boards must pass KiCad's Design Rule Checker (Inspect → Design Rules Checker) with **zero unresolved DRC errors**. +- DRC **warnings** (e.g. minor silkscreen clipping) will not disqualify a board, but excessive or careless warnings may count against a board at the routing quality tie break stage. +- A board with unresolved DRC errors is disqualified from the size based ranking regardless of its footprint area. + +### Note on High-Speed & Power Rules +The challenge schematic does not include high speed signal paths (e.g. differential pairs requiring a continuous reference/return plane) or significant power delivery requirements (e.g. wide power traces, stitching vias). As such, no specific high speed routing or power plane rules are imposed in this iteration. Should a future version of the challenge include such elements, this rule set will be updated accordingly. + +## Judging Criteria + +1. **Pass/fail gate**: correct logic deduction and a fully wired, DRC clean board (zero errors) under the given constraints. Boards failing either condition are not eligible for prizes. +2. **Primary ranking metric**: smallest board area (bounding box of the board outline), among all boards that pass the gate above. +3. **Tie breaker**: in the event of a tie, judges will assess routing quality and general layout practice (e.g. via count, trace directness, use of ground fill, silkscreen space, DRC warning count) to determine placement. + +## Prizes + +- **1st place:** £200 +- **2nd place:** £100 +- **3rd place:** £50 + +- All participants who submit a valid entry will receive a certificate of participation. + +Expect the results to be announced within a week or two from the end date of the challenge. -- cgit v1.2.3